Modernistic Wall Piece (a silent conversation with Philippe Van Snick) (2) Sculpture, 2025. 80 cm × 6 cm × 120 cm cm. MDF, wood, polyamide, coating

Modernistic Wall Piece (a silent conversation with Philippe Van Snick) is a series of wall works inspired by the constellations of spheres in Op de Beeck’s ‘Orrery’ works and ‘Constellation’ pieces. The artist has been experimenting with improvised horizontal compositions of small wooden cubes, blocks and beams on a sheet of wood on his worktable, he plays with the abstraction of street plans and architectural clusters of imaginary cities. After positioning these compositions vertically, he suddenly realised how modernistic the works appeared. The works, finalised, became a series of monochrome grey bas-reliefs, with a modest presence of soft, creamy colours, that evoke the spirit of 20th-century modernism. The dedication in the title is intended for Belgian artist Philippe Van Snick (†), Op de Beeck’s beloved mentor in art college, who taught him the value, potential and beauty of the modernist and minimalist legacy in contemporary art.